Loose Bolt Lockup?

[R&H]

I posted a thread the other day commenting on my win. model 70 (Ranger, push feed action) that won't shoot very well. I was looking at it last night and noticed that when the bolt is in the closed position it seems loose. The front of the bolt sloshes back and forth the bolt rotates almost freely until the spring mechanism on the firing pin engages. Also when the gun is fired the bolt kid of bounces a little, and rotates about 10 degrees up ward from the closed position.

Is this normal? I was under the impression that when the bolt is closed it is supposed to be fairly tight and rigid.

R&H

 

[Paul B.]

R&H. If I understand your question correctly, your bolt has a little "slop" in it when the firing pin spring is relaxed? But when you cock the rifle, the bolt has no "slop". Is this correct? If so, then the condition is normal. I checked this out on four seperate Mod. 70 push feeds, and one pre-64 as well. They were all a touch loose when the firing pin was in the fired postion. No apparent problem there.
Paul B.